Archive for Football

I’ve long heard that China has a football league and see it today, on tv. (Wiki: Chinese Super League 中超联赛 or CSL) The arena looks like a kid’s playpen -:), no insult intended. The players are mixed bag of people.

Money can motivate ghost to pull the millstone is a Chinese idiom, meaning money talks, in short. Good governance and legal system makes this country great. No one is above the law seems a distance memory.

Another Chinese idiom says it’s easier to create an empire than to maintain it. This country, USA, used to be great ..

Can’t believe that Giants is 0-3!
Anyway, the former NHL player, goaltender Garth Snow who finished his career with the Islanders is on Golfer’s ice hockey team. No, he is NOT playing the goaltender, that would not be fair. Former Jets QB Boomer Esiason is also on Golfer’s ice hockey league. Now I’m looking around my little tennis league, where is who’s whos???

Giants (0-3) is playing at Kansa City Missouri. OMG, I can’t believe that the entire stadium becomes a red sea – everyone dressed in their team color. Sounds like a totalitarian regime -:) … shows how crazy/serious they’re about football. Thank god I’m in New York

An eventful day.
Sending the kids back to their paradises. They hugged me at parting,
“Mom, it’s only three weeks, we’ll be back.”
Still, it’s a sad moment for me, happy for them. The result of bad mothering.

Giants got annihilated last week by the Cincinnati Bengals (31-13). So, to show my moral support, with home made dip. As it turned out, they destroyed the Green Bay Packers to a 38-10 win (Eli Manning passed 249 yards). Oh well. It’s not nearly as exciting as my SNT.

Peacock Wai whose ring is frequently kissed by the previous organizers (yes, they even asked for his autograph .. !!), had a huge night:

Ral is a former teaching pro who’s in shape and extremely competitive. Extracting a bagel out of him is no small feat. Reportedly the Pro got upset again by a questionable line call made by the girl, surrendered the set at 3 after the 3-1 lead. Actually the same girl has made a line call that was reversed by her partner. So, it seems she isn’t the cheating type but not as sharp as many 4.0 guys.

Later I spoke with the girl who couldn’t even remember the incidents.
“I really had good time playing, perhaps didn’t even notice.” She felt that her opponents had no chance of winning and went on to say, “when the ball is on my side of the court, I hope my opponents respect my line call because I have a closer view.”

It’s better to air the dispute right away, so all involved could solve it immediately. Especially on the har tru surface, the mark might still be traceable.

Another bad news is, one of my mates popped his Achilles about 40 minutes into the two-hour long play. Aouch .. Speedy recovery J!

Giants hasn’t played playoff game at home for a long time: because their regular season records hadn’t been great (so they ended up playing at their opponent’s turf). Two weeks ago, Jan 8’s match was really something to be treasured: it’s my first time to a football game. First time tailgate for my group. This little video is done to remember (with WLMM – windows Live movie maker), and it’s been nominated at the First Midlandic Film Festival in D.C.

I’m surprised that Giants even considered to take him back, well, sort of. I thought Giants is kind of the team seems trying to avoid any controversy issue at any cost. Like pretty clean, principled. BUT Burress is a great player, so they bend a little, tried to get him back.

Burress said he was disappointed that during his rough time, the team, especially Eli Manning didn’t show any support.

I guess that Burress made an emotional decision to play for the Jets instead of the Giants. Reportedly coach Tom Coughlin talked to him after his prison time ended. A mistake? After today’s game, I’d say becasue Mark Sanchez just couldn’t get the little ball to Burress but Eli can.

Decision and decision: we all have to make it [often] and live with the consequences.

Wang Zhaojun Departs the Frontier. The title isn’t quite fit but for some reason it’s the first thing came to my mind. You get it, you got it.

My first match on the USTA league was last Sunday at World Gym at Setauket. 42 miles. As #2 Doubles my partner and I were routed 1 and 2. We were out played from the beginning. The opponents, the guy could tumble, scramble, double and can Michael Jordan too – like flying. The girl is a seasoned league player who wore a pretty top. That’s distracting too :). I wasn’t nervous but just don’t have the tools to handle them. I held only one game and had one double fault. On a first serve, the guy called it out then immediately revert it by telling me to take another first serve. He apologized at the change over too, which wasn’t necessary. (But later I learned that it should have been our point .. .. oh well, newbie ..)

As a team, we were 1:2. Our #1 Doubles lost too, the #3 Doubles won in third set. They played the captain of the team who’s little heavy. Ok, that’s a distortion, he should be here. On the way home – I car pooled with two teammates, one of them snapped ..
“They’re just better players .. ” when my partner and I were saying that we had too many unforced errors. Was I trying to discredit my opponents? Absolutely not.

It occurred to me that I’ve been taken care of on court all the time. So when it requires my fair share of contribution, I’m just not up to it. Shame shame shame.This is the more whimsical portrait of Zhaojun chusai.

Out of nowhere, in the deep end of island (and in spite of its name – World Gym), I would think the courts are airy, spacious and the people are friendlier – there isn’t any worldliness. Wrong. The courts at the World Gym suck (cost us $20 each for 2 hours of doubles game) and the front desk isn’t exactly nice. One of my buddies in the morning (I played with them for early two sets – lost 1st set) gave me his version of direction for getting there after learning why I had to leave early. It differed from mine so for safety I called to verify. The girl haughtily replied:
“I only know our address.” and hung up.
Maybe she doesn’t like my accent -:) or GPS too prevalent ..
The home team provided beer, pizza and foot long hero. There wasn’t a bottle opener. Remember to bring one when we’re hosting.
Giants was playing that afternoon as we were driving home. The driver turned the radio to the game and began talking about da little giants. Without the moving images on the tube, I couldn’t follow the game. I promptly felt asleep, began drooling and snoring. Ms Manner indeed. Giants has a wonderful start then felt apart. They just don’t have the defense.
Irene sucks. Not feeling nervous doesn’t translate into winning a game or two.

Ok, the funny part was .. As my partner pulling into a parking spot, I asked him about Giants ..
“Third inning?” Thinking I could catch the last quarter. Then felt … hmmm .. inning isn’t right .. that’s summer term ., for the baseball boys. But I just couldn’t get the quarter out.
“You mean quarter?” My partner supplied the right word.
“Oh yes ,,” My senior moment strikes often now .. 🙂
“It’s the third quarter.”
Another teammate turned around, incredulously asked
“You like football?”
“Yes I do.”
“Football?” He asked again in disbelieve.
“Ya.” I was dumbfounded. So Chinese chick can’t like football?

Monday I was summoned to court at 6:30am. I hardly could get up. Plus traffic I was 31 minutes late. Sorry guys.. .. The organizer just called to remind me, to be there tomorrow on time, 6:30am. I need a life. Real life.

I caught a late Sunday night ESPN football recap, three-some talking heads with Deion Sanders sitting pretty in the middle. He’s one of my favored players who played mainly cornerback but also some wide receiver – most NFL plays play just one position. He played for New York Yankees too, that’s right, baseball. One thing I found bit tacky was he played for a few teams:

Five NFL teams in total. Lord. That’s a lot.I always like Cowboys, especially their uniform, the hue is just very sleek. The New York Giants’ are nice but not striking, the bold blue which doesn’t exactly a fitting for New York.

Any way, back to his fat pink tie last Sunday night.
Mr. Sanders looks the same, sitting pretty in the middle with dark crispy tailored suit.
Talking smartly.
Then there was his tie.
A baby pink.
and
Fat.
The color was ok so was the size.
But when the two appeared hand in hand, it looked just so unsophisticated.
Totally uncool.
What did Mary Joe Fernandez say on Safina’s outfit?
It has to go.

“How can you tell?” Carl deadpanned. .. “Because you care,” he replied with a mock sneer. “You have feelings.”

Which group of women Madam Dowd is talking about? And based on what criteria? And through her Americanized micro magnifier?
I found many American versions are often obscured and marginalized. The Muslim women are not unhappy, according to themselves. We Chinese or Asian women at large are relatively happy. We might have this stereotype image as being submissive, but deep down, what’s wrong with being submissive?

Through American point of view, there are many happy campers around, especially women. But keep in mind they are not Americans and don’t live in USA. They have their own culture and wisdom, own way to deal with life’s ups and downs.

Few years ago, Manon Rhéaume played in the NHL ice hockey team as a goalie. Aside from having the team added female locker room, and as publicity stunt to raise awareness of the expansion Lightning, she didn’t do anything to rise women’s standing in ice hockey. I would think she just publicly admitted the limitation women have [vs men].

Oh, how about sending girls into boys locker room, like NFL did or still does? For what? Equal right? How would any one feel a media company sending a male reporter into girls’ locker room for that killer quotes? How about little consideration for the athletes, give them some privacy?

As in tennis: they do get paid equally. But the problem is, women work less, 3 sets are required vs men’s 5 sets. Why? We women are weaker? Which is true. .. but we should be paid the same with less work. Fair?

Women and men are made differently, so they could take on different assignments in life, complimenting to each other, rather than competing against each other?

Why can’t most people accept this simple fact?

When women stepped into male- dominated realms, they put more demands — and stress — on themselves. If they once judged themselves on looks, kids, hubbies, gardens and dinner parties, now they judge themselves on looks, kids, hubbies, gardens, dinner parties — and grad school, work, office deadlines and meshing a two-career marriage.

If a sister has ambition to accomplish all of the above, all the power to her. BUT do not complain. Do it like a man. Take it like a man.

A 50 year old man can choose his mate starting 20, all the way past his own age. And a 50 years old woman could probably only has 50+ men to consider.
Don’t complain.
It’s a fact.
Don’t like the conversation? Change it.
Not happy? Date 20 years old men if you so desire. No law said you couldn’t.

Oh well .. another NFL football season is (already .. they beat Red Skins last week 23:17) under way.

100,000+ people are at the new Cowboys’ stadium plus 20k+ milling around – did I hear it right? Top that. George and Laura Bush flipped the coin for the opening night. (Is he reduced to that?)

Tiki Barber covers for the NBC. I think I just found some one to replace Lionel Richie with 100 teeth.

It’s always fascinating to me that Giants’ tickets are so much harder to get by than, say Denyce Graves of Met Opera – its season is also under way. I last saw Graves‘ Carmen at the Met. Would I have traded that one with a Giants game? Hmmmm .. not sure 🙂